A Night Like This
by aislara
Summary: Forced to stay the night at the end of a mission, the team has a rare opportunity to relax. Fluff.
"I'm not sure I'm ready to be a grandparent," Coulson observed wryly as he swirled the whisky in his glass. With weather scrubbing their return, an overnight stay had been unavoidable. Turning slightly on the bar stool beside him, May followed his gaze cross the crowded hotel bar to the table the 'kids' had claimed as theirs. The corner of her lips quirked slightly as she observed Daisy pull a reluctant Lincoln from his chair. Almost literally dragging his feet to the dance floor, Daisy tossed her hair and a comment back to the rest of the team at the table with a triumphant grin. Whatever she said resulted in friendly laughter from the others and earned Fitz an elbow in the ribs from Simmons. His sharp, "Ow!" carried across the room before he wrapped an arm around Jemma's shoulder, gently pulling her to him. "Best self-defense, Turbo," Mack intoned sagely, mock toasting the pair with his drink as Jemma settled into Fitz's embrace.

"I think you would look good in a cardigan, Phil," she suggested, a spark of mischief in her eyes as she looked at him over the rim of her glass. "You could wear it while you yell at whippersnappers to stay off the lawn."

"Maybe you could find the time to knit me one between the obligatory ugly sweaters for the grandbabies," he returned with a lopsided smile. "Could put the rocking chair I'm having delivered for your birthday to good use." May rolled her eyes and moved to reach across Coulson to snag the whiskey bottle. Before she could, he picked up the bottle and topped off both of their glasses. He lifted his glass and tapped it gently to hers, "To family," they said together, completing each other's thought, their eyes meeting meaningfully as they took a drink. May's eyes slid away first, returning to the kids who were all seated back at the table relaxing over the meal that had just arrived. The partners sat in the comfortable silence born of years of friendship and understanding until their own food arrived.

"I'm glad it snowed," Phil said finally, as the evening wound down and the pair stood up from the bar. The two senior agents standing up seemed to signal to the younger agents that it was time to turn in. Mack nodded his acknowledgement from where he had moved to watch the game. Daisy and Lincoln toddled out the door together, melded into each other's side as closely as humanly, or inhumanly possible. Clearly their night was far from over, though it was relocating for the remainder of the evening. Fitz and Simmons were having an animated argument, debate, or discussion involving time travel and monkeys. In a way uniquely theirs, they continued the spirited banter while effortlessly gathering up their belongings, settling the bill, and Fitz helping Simmons into her jacket before they, too headed for the door. They paused momentarily to offer their good nights before launching into the next wave of their discussion around the 'inevitability of monkeys'.

"They needed a night like this," May commented as they headed together towards the door.

"Reminds me of the night we were snowed in in Denver. Remember?" Coulson smiled fondly.

"No." May answered succinctly.

"Neither do I," Coulson smiled broadly.

May quirked a smile, "I do remember the headache and the angry hotel manager." Unconsciously she shifted closer to Phil at the memory as they waited for the elevator to arrive. Without realizing what he was about, his fingers brushed gently against May's. To his surprise, he felt her fingers interweave with his. Steadily, he kept his eyes upon the elevator doors as he gently squeezed her hand in response. The two stepped into the elevator, and with his free hand, Coulson pressed the button for their floor.

"What about us?" Coulson asked softly in reply.

"We needed a night like this, too," she turned to face him, her free hand coming to rest on his chest, playing with the lapel of his suit jacket. Coulson looked down at her hand, and then to her. "Even if it means you'll be trading in your suit jacket for cardigans, Grandpa." The two broke into laughter, her arms going around him, as his pulled her to him. Hugging her tight he dropped a kiss on the top of her head. As he held her in his arms, enjoying the warmth and closeness, another heartbeat against his, drinking in the moment he couldn't help but agree: _Yes, they all needed a night like this_.


End file.
